The Crux

d thinks o

derness

w England th

ge free-mi

know the g

only wa

re must be s

hing th

ations. She wrote dutiful letters to her mother, trying to describe the difference between th

the mind which matched it was but sparsely dotted with a few disconnected ideas suc

life, made small impression on the Bainville mind. But the fact that Miss Elder's venture was successful from the first did impress old acquaintances, and Mrs. Lane read aloud to selected vi

daily presence and very friendly advances of so many men, mostly young and all polite (with the except

nine years dim, waxed dimmer. But she had a vague consciousness of being untrue to her ideals, or to Mrs. St. Cloud's

m, left her plenty of room for amusement. So popular did she become, so constantly in demand for ri

n scouted her

way they'd pick and choose! And after all our efforts and machinations most of us had to dance with each other. And the quarrels we had! Here they sta

joy ourselves, Susie, of course, b

ys the same old thing-that it's 'a woman's duty,' and I propose to do it. That is-they

"legal cap" and set down their fifte

n-Too old,

Skee-Big, t

rs-Middle-sized

Too little, too

erson-Middlin

uthbert-Bi

Greer-Big

Horton-No

eman-Interes

r Toomey-Lit

william-Ridicul

hester-Too nice

W. Briggs-N

. Jenks-Fair

A. Smi

t 'em all out of the book-quite

you imagine that all these fiftee

ul damsel. "We've only been settled a

d at once. "Which?-

to the one m

finite-unless it was a last resort. Several more are-well, extremely friendly! Now don't

a little New Englander as need be desired; and she could not help it if the he

d them at lunch one d

tea this afternoon," she said, as if it

asked Mrs. Pet

u know. And he particularly wants you, Mrs. P

" Vivian remarked with serene

nny! A man's home!-and we may never

he road from theirs, standing in a lar

while; then it was for sale and he bought it. He built that little office of his at the corner-says he doesn't like

'd be lonely," Mis

hree or four young fellows about him. I

ering the gate that the inside view of that rampant shrubbery was extremely pleasant. Though not close cut and swep

ed, as, indeed, were they all. She voiced their feelings justly when, the tr

things! A man

there any deficiency, mental or physical, about a

but there seems to be somethin' about 'em that keeps 'em ou

tigrew. And here women are scarce

veness that was most satisfying. Two Chinamen did the work; cooking, cleaning, washing, waiting on table, with silen

a grand-'Sun' to attend to the ancestors; but he brought in another Chink first and trained him so well

e soft-footed servants with clean, white gar

ted, "but-dear me, it doesn't seem na

rtably they could live without women, the world would be happier." There was a faint wire-edge to his tone, in s

cellences of his houseke

particularly admire these beds-with the sheets buttoned

lways inadequate to cover the blankets-and the marks of other men's

d vehemently. "You h

ment; a dumbwaiter of construction large and strong enough to carry trunks, went from cellar to roof; the fireplaces dropped their ashes down myster

dirt-saves expen

the rooms rather bare, but Dr. Bellair

nlight. Books all under glass-no curtains to wash and darn and fuss with-no

e one yourself, Jo

ping," she said, "and you do.

igrew with her sudden

who formed the doctor's present family. She could not but note the intelligent efficiency of the place, but felt more deeply the underl

it-that he wants company-that we pay for all we get-and that sort of thing, you know; but this is no boarding hou

ust have lovely times here. I don't wonder you appreciate

ession of something hidden and repressed. She felt the large and quiet beauty of the rooms; the s

t. She noted one after an

oo, the same thing. Then Daniel-more lions, more loneliness, but power. 'Circe and the Companions of Ulysses'-cruel, but loneliness and power again-of a sort

cases and looked them over curiously. Yes-there was Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Plato, Emerson

eemed to vaguely annoy him, as if some

y, Miss Lane?" he asked,

I understand it

far does

nd raised her soft eyes t

do know that these books te

d as unassailable as a steel safe. He straightened his big shoulders with a defiant

devotion to all; and some especially intended for the y

t it, Dr. Hale? C

lar brand. Sun brought me a chest

on-lychee nuts for Sue, lily-bulbs for Vivian, a large fan for M

do," she said, as they walked back

e agreed. "I don't care

tted, on being questioned, th

is country," she declared. "Things are different. A man c

ught Dr. Bellair

t man," she demand

ars," said the doctor. "No, I can

set him?" aske

itter against women. It is a shame, too, for he is one of the best of men. He prefers men patients-and gets them. The women he will treat if he must, but he is kin

boys, but was somewhat amazed at her popularity among them. These young men were mainly exiles from home; the older ones, though more set

side show, and exhibit you all up and down the mountains!-for good money. Why some of t

'm sure-but impractica

of their adventures; some true, some greatly diversified; and she listened with a shrewd little s

e little hall that she rented for her dancing classes had burned down o

ible. And Baker's is too expensive. The church rooms they won'

rent you her dining-room-it's big e

surprise. "Oh, if she would! Do you

s quite fluttered by the proposi

as well have the girls dance here under your eye as going out all the time-and it'

ented, and their first "class night" was await

"-twice a week-in her own house-this seemed

l from a too general intimacy, was inwardly rat

never had enough dancing! I

the Class, you know,

that she would feel very badly if we didn't

t as much so-and Miss Elder trembled lest she lose her. But the offer of extra payments

ound the walls, waxed the floor, and was then

hich viands were later shoved through the slide by the austere cook, and distributed as from a counter by Miss Peeder'

le doors made the big front hall a sort of anteroom, and the stairs and piazza furnished opportunities for occasional couples who felt the wish for retirement. In the right-angled passages,

hispers, and the subdued exchange of comments among the gentlemen. The men

er always neat and appropriate costume had blossomed suddenly for the occasion; her hair, arranged by the affectionate and adm

g evening she had both piano and violin-good, lively, sole-stirring music. E

es, Vivian with gliding grace, smooth and harmonious, Miss Orella with ski

ace. She bore in front of her a small wicker rocking chair, and headed for a corner near the door. Her b

ir at the point she indicated. "No lady ought to rust

ck than white and had a curly, wiggish effect save as its indigenous c

observing these distinctions, and then answered her

"scalped three several times and left for dead. B

wasn't enough hair left to make Greeley whis

at the ancient Mohawks may have done, but the Apaches only want a patch-smaller to carry

him with interest and convinced that there was someth

No'm, not pronounced 's

the plains as a child, he told her, in the days of the prairie schooner, had then and there lost his parents and his first b

ight be interesting to talk with," she said, afte

Mr. Skee. "May I have the

n thirty years," sa

or doing it now,"

cies of march, the gentleman pacing with the elaborate grace of a

youngest and gayest, and found the supper so wholly to his liking that he pr

took her out on the long piazza to rest and breathe a little, she saw the dark bulk of the house across

cted that, of course; but all his boys ha

of course; but it's a

rom within, and young Gre

arm, when a tall figure came briskly up the street from

k back for an instant, then eagerly c

as M